M Y . C I T Y . M Y . K O L K A T A, a photo from West Bengal, East

Photographer's Note

What does the name Calcutta (or Kolkata as it is now known) signify to a generalised western traveller? I guess it brings to mind Mother Teresa, the slums, the lepers and beggars she worked with, it brings to mind Dominique Lapierre and his book 'City of Joy', it brings to mind a city groping in darkness, in filthy unhygienic conditions. But having grown up in this city, I strongly disagree with this generalised vision of Kolkata. Without denying the problems and the poverty that has plagued this city in the past, it is above all a friendly city, a city of rich cultural traditions, a city with a big heart, and if you care enough for it, you can feel its heart beat. But that is not all : I see beautiful cities here on TE, places like the Neva waterfront in St. Petersburg, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, the Tower Bridge in London and I say to myself, 'Can't I show a different face of my city?'. With this aim in my mind, with my tiny camera in my hand i went strolling in the Kolkata Maidan this afternoon. This is what I got for you, horses grazing right in the heart of the city. No comparison with New York or London, not even with Singapore or New Delhi closer home - this is just to show you that Kolkata is not all about darkness, it has its bright patches as well.

The Maidan is said to be the lung of the city and it stretches over a vast expanse right in the centre of the city bordering the business district of Chowringhee. In an area that was once a dense jungle, the Maidan is an expansive park with open spaces, sports fields, and some of the city's chief attractions. The open area was created by clearing of the forest by the British in 1758, in order to provide clear lines of fire from Fort William, now one of the park's attractions. Maidan is the venue of the city's favourite sports - cricket and football, and in season the visitor can see several spirited matches taking place.
The famous Eden Gardens, the cricket aficionado's paradise, is situated at one end of the Maidan, and at the other end, overlooking Chowringhee, is the famous Victoria Memorial hall, (1905) a marble monument fashioned after the Taj.
Behind the Memorial is the historic and fashionable Royal Kolkata Turf Club, which holds some of the most prestigious races in the country. On the western side of the Maidan is Fort William now housing the Indian Army. It overlooks the river Hooghly, alongside which the Strand is a popular promenade.

steveryan2006, maximage, bhorerpakhi, siolaw, lappino, Flavia, sunilshukla, rajju, ndb1958, Dragonheart, lechmt, delkoo, captainsgirl, Henryk_Bilor, muscovado, goodwill, arjun_das, dhurjati, robertosalguero, bakes888, thaprem, avis2avis, imrek, cunejo200, feather, Wanda1, ksvijayb, vincz, josepmarin, renerob, Benedict, cam, prezntime, tigra, pranab, Louloudi, plimrn, cessy, dorte_s_t, snunney, zeca, anjan, Silvio1953, ramesh_lalwani, pierrefonds, VeeJayCee, levocan has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

steveryan2006 (439) 2006-09-19 11:42

WOW! Is this Calcutta? I didnt know it had such greens. Yes you are kinda right, we do have some preconceived notions about certain places. The horses looks cool in this setting.
S.

a_i_ren (1315) 2006-09-19 11:44

Great shot, Sabyasachi, did horses arranged this perfect symmetry between themselves?:-)
Regards.
Inna

maximage (15537) 2006-09-19 11:45

Hello Sabyasachi,
Belle composition avec ces deux cheveaux de couleur diffйrentes face а face!
Contraste complet avec la ville а l'arriиre plan.
Amitiйs de Suisse.
max

bhorerpakhi (559) 2006-09-19 11:46

Such a beautiful view of my city also, shotti daroooon sundar. Ke bole kolkatai sobuj nei? Ghora gulo darun jaigai ache.
Poulomi

siolaw (38294) 2006-09-19 11:54

Hi Sabyasachi
A nice way to show the maidan, lung of Kolkata... countryside in the middle of town... Nice horses in foreground, with third one in between... nice colors and sharpness
Laurent

lappino (858) 2006-09-19 11:57

Hello Sabyasachi,
good soft colors, great composition, excellent note!
Well done, thanks for sharing!
Vlad

hyasar (7775) 2006-09-19 12:00

Hi Sabyasachi,

this is a great composition with superb colors. Congratulations.

best regards,
Hakan

Andrzej_HHH (2480) 2006-09-19 12:16

Very good composition with this three horses in the foreground. Good, natural colors are also a strong point of your picture. Great work! Andrzej

Flavia (10352) 2006-09-19 12:23

Hi Sabyasachi,

Really wonderfull picture of your city. The composition is very nice showing the contrasting skycrapers on the backgroung. Nice colours and contrast too. It's a mazing to see how some big cities like Calcuta, or even my city in Brazil still manage to keep a little part of a rural life within! For sure you won't find any of this on the cities you mentioned in your note.

Cheers,

Flavia

sunilshukla (844) 2006-09-19 12:23

Hello Sabya, You have shown us a beautiful face of Kolkata to the world, a face which is little known. If we cud all highlight our own city in this way, it ud potray such a bright picture of India. The positioning of the three horses is just perfect.
Sunil

Budapestman (82620) 2006-09-19 12:35

Dear Sabyasachi!
Very harmonious and cosy photo! Fascinating and spectacular details! Very nice composition and soothing mood!
Thank you, nice days
George

HIRAKZ (168) 2006-09-19 12:54

Hi Sabyasachi,

The bonding of the two animals in the backdrop of Chowringhee is something unique and different. I like the PoV and I congratulate you on getting this perfect photograph about Kolkata (which I have only visited twice in my life) which you so desparately wanted to show the world. The two colors of the animals also signifies the oriental mingling with the occidental so well. Dont you think?

Waiting for your pujo photographs now ;-) Will you be in Kolkata or will you be moving out on vacations like most bengalis from Kolkata do :-))

Subhechha
Hirak

ndb1958 (9289) 2006-09-19 13:01

Hi Sabyasachi,
a nice part of Calcutta, indeed. I never thought of parts like this.
My sister who was in India for 3 months (more than 15 years ago) and told me about and she loved Calcutta.
When I see pictures or even films about Calcutta I feel attracted by the big bridge over the river. I have to confess I feel even attracted by the chaos (Chaos is life) and I feel even attracted by the dark sides. Since I read the book *City of Joy* many years ago (before the film) I feel attracted by the city I didn't see myself. It is still on the list of the parts on earth I hope to visit in the future.
So, don't worry about calcutta's image.
I enjoyed reading your note and your love for your city.
Nino

aralda (1240) 2006-09-19 13:39

Hi Sabya,
Nice that you thought about showing us a different Calcutta. Never learned about the change in name, by the way, so thanks for that as well (for informing us).
I'm amazed that you found pastures in the city like that. Interesting note about the Maidan. We have the word in Romanian as well. It signifies "open ground," with no buildings on it. The dictionary gives Turkish as the language of origin.
Raluca

jjcordier (79299) 2006-09-19 13:42

Beau contraste entre ces chevaux reprйsentant la vie а la campagne et cette ville en arriиre plan
Amicalement
JJ

IvarsU (2505) 2006-09-19 13:50

Very good, and better vill be if You got possibility to shot from very higt POV, plane or air-ballon... I like composing. Good 3 models...
Best regards,
Ivars.

lechmt (792) 2006-09-19 14:10

It is somehow unbelivieable that at the same time you have just spotted my newly posted picture on my profile (for which I thank you very much) and I was just entering your profile.. Amazing thing.. indeed...

Fantastic note.. Great capture of the contrast, at least for me, as the sight of the horses freely enjoying themselves on a fresh grass isn't everyday view in Warsaw, for instance.

And I really appreciate and I am greatful for your deeply explanatory note describing after all the part of the world I don't quite know to much about..

Thanks.. And best regards from Poland, Tomas

hay_kes (31439) 2006-09-19 15:09 [Comment]

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lucasdasilva (557) 2006-09-19 15:19

What beautiful animals and that in the middle of city like Calcutta, hard imagining but has come veri well. I like your sentiment about your citi. I feel that way about my also.
Lucas

captainsgirl (3450) 2006-09-19 15:42

what a pretty photo. I wonder what kind of horse are they? They look a little like our baskir curlies. What an interesting view as well..in the Country but with such a view of the city beyond. And a very usful note as well. TFS
Donna:o)

muscovado (1572) 2006-09-19 20:29

Hi Sabyasachi,
Splendid capture, the horses and the green grasses makes it so vibrant as well as the notes. TFS

goodwill (4274) 2006-09-19 22:20

Hi Brother,
To me Clacutta means only one thing--DAKSHINESHWAR TEMPLE
and the only name which resonates in my whole being---NARENDRA NATH DUTT.
Your city had/has/will be having the brightest places/motivators through out the world, but for that......................................you need blessings of the Lord.
Ya Devi Sarv Bhuteshu,
"Satya Rupen" Sanasthitha,
Namastasye, namastaye, namasatasye,
namo nameh.

dhurjati (2709) 2006-09-20 0:04

Hi Sabya,
Great work.You have captured the beauty of Kolkata brilliantly...probably better than the rest.Looks like a picture postcard to me.Great colors and sharpness. Thanks Sabya for bringing the magic of our own Kolkata to the rest of the world.Goes into my favourite list starightaway.Pur magic..is all I can say about this snap.
TFS&Kudos,
Dhurjati

ksvijayb (385) 2006-09-20 0:05

Hi Sabyasachi,
As usual, your pictures are a treat to watch and learn.

TFS
Vijayabaskar

robertosalguero (292) 2006-09-20 1:10

Very beautiful compo Sabyasachi. The green area and the horses truly make a statement against many preconceived ideas regarding Calcutta.
The colours are nicely saturated and the horses seemd to have posed for you in this shot. Well done Sabyasachi :-)

Roberto

bakes888 (18499) 2006-09-20 1:27

Hi Sabyasachi. Nice composition with the two horses and city as a backdrop. Having the third horse in the BG is an inspired touch also. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

thaprem (2566) 2006-09-20 3:29

Sabyasachi,
A nice shot from catcutta.m...Thumbs up for showing this city is such colours.
Cheers,
Pre

delkoo (68) 2006-09-20 3:51

hi saby
i went to Calcutta long time ago and today i am reconciled with this city through your beautiful photograph showing a unknown face of calcutta.
thank to have changing my mind.

didier
-:) tomorrow

Dragonheart (8434) 2006-09-20 5:11

Dada!
I am proud of you!!!. This is an excellent shot. I love the light here, and the exposure is perfect. Excellent composition with thhree horses, making a kind of triangle.
I am brought up in Delhi in Chittranjan Park may be you know this place, and from my childhood I have bengali friends. I am leaving for India soon and I am so eager to see the Durga puja festival, one of my favorite.
Your note is brilliant.
My best wishes
Vivek

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2006-09-20 5:29

Hi Sabyasachi
Lovely composition, the horses against the buildings. Beautiful colours.
Regards

imrek (4) 2006-09-20 6:06

HI Sabyasachi,
very nice one good contrast with background...good focus and colours...well done!!!
regards,
imre

cunejo200 (7281) 2006-09-20 6:56

Hello Sabyasachi,
Yes I do have a pre-conceived images of Kolkata. And thanks for your Note, it helps dispel these ideas. Lovely composition showing these healthy horses on the fg and the modern buildings on the bg. A high quality image. Best wishes. Danilo

feather (51130) 2006-09-20 11:43

What a great job you are doing to promote your city. This green space is wonderful and somewhere you can breathe. You certainly got the horses to co-operatae with you to make this excellent composition. The two fg horses grazing nose to nose would be good enough but to have them provide a frame for the horse behind is either genius or a stroke of luck. If the latter you still saw the potential. Good work as usual
Kath

Wanda1 (15142) 2006-09-20 12:38

Hi Sabyasachi,
I cant believe that this is in the middle of the city. A very beautiful scene, well photographed with lovely colours. A great note too.
Regards
Wanda

josepmarin (59385) 2006-09-20 13:38

Hi Sabyasachi,
beautiful composition that mixes with harmony this green meadow with horses pasturing, in the middle of the great city, that it is seen in background. Perfect resistance between natural and the urban thing, between the life animal and the concrete, the crystal and the steel.
The frame is fantastic, we can see all those elements with great detail.
It's a very nice photo.
Greetings from Barcelona,
Josep

vincz (19113) 2006-09-20 15:39

Hi Sabyasachi. What a different view on Kolkata! With this green field and horses it almost looks like normandy in France. Very unusual, very unexpected.... So far I never stopped in Kolkata for real, just landed there on the Druk Air flight between Bangkok and Paro a few times. So from the air, my vision of Kolkata is lots of houses with Palm trees all around and many brick factories around (if my memory is right).

renerob (601) 2006-09-20 20:14

Hi Sabyasachi
Great shot, very good composition, & nice colours it is also nice & sharp, well done.
Regards Irene

izmirli (3989) 2006-09-21 1:55

merhaba my friend sabyasachi
wonderful city and good models.beautiful colours and calcutta.well done.
friendly greetings from Istanbul.
gьrkan akзakır.

binita (464) 2006-09-21 3:00

a wonderful piece from you. you have really made calcutta look more green. the horses in contrastive colours are very well taken.

MIG13 (0) 2006-09-21 9:57

WOW, Sabyasachi! What a declaration of love to your hometown! I'm really impressed by your words (I cannot say exactly what i feel in English, unfortunately) and I think you're right about the feelings you share with us... The same I feel about Rio (although Rio has some of the world's most beautiful "postcards"): we are poverty, social inequality etc., but not only this... Hope to see more about your "Calcutб" - a mystic word in Portuguese, so as Calicute, as the old portuguese sailors called it more than 500 years ago... Thanks for your pic and, mainly, for your note, my friend! Greetings from a sister-city, Rio de Janeiro! Miguel.

ben4321 (9875) 2006-09-21 17:01

This is great Sabyasachi, a side of Calcutta that we don't normally get to see.
It's good to get away from the cliched images and confound expectations. As you say in your note, Calcutta has certain negative connotations and it's good to see these fine looking horses grazing in this green wide open space.
Good work.
Ben

Benedict (7076) 2006-09-21 18:30 [Comment]

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prumod (8300) 2006-09-22 13:10

hi sabya
very nice tones... all sahdes are very beautiful with excellent exposure...
greetings
pramod

cam (9043) 2006-09-22 15:53

hello Sabyasachi
Thanks for showing us another face of Calcuta and changigng my perception of the city,thanks to your note.
Your photo is of a very high caliber technically speaking,and the pastoral subject is eye-attractive.
C'

prezntime (3946) 2006-09-22 16:14

Hello Sabyasachi.
Interesting to see a shot from you without the human face looking back. I really enjoy this photo and the composition is excellent. The two horses in the foreground with noses together and the third facing away in a straight line make for a wonderful triangle of lines. As always, your colors are amazing and I really like the natural tones.
Very well done,
Chris

partha (14023) 2006-09-23 14:19 [Comment]

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Louloudi (11) 2006-09-24 18:22

Thanks for sharing this lovely photo! I never knew that Kolkata had such green longues with horses grazing like that. You have so many awsome pictures from your country, and I really hope that I will be able to travel there some day to see some of it myself.

pranab (5354) 2006-09-25 3:37

sabyasachi,
you are lucky to capture blue sky over our tilottoma kolkata.
nice pov and your note resonates the sentiment of every true kolkata natives. well done.

plimrn (21344) 2006-09-26 2:02

Hi Sabyasachi,
You have succeeded. Your beautiful photo has indeed changed my view of your city. It's not only the pastoral scene of horses grazing in the meadows, but the wonderful light, the modern buildings and the clear sky above. As I reflect, I think perhaps all great cities have both beauty and desperation. Regards, Pat

cessy (13647) 2006-09-30 13:22

hi Sabyasachi
very nice combination of the horses in the foreground and the cityscape in the background
beautiful colors

dorte_s_t (2287) 2006-10-02 2:37

Hello , Sabyasachi .
I returned to this photo , because I was curious to know where it was from , and I was very surprised to learn , that this landscape is actually very much a part of Kolkata . Once again your splendid note about your home city and the environment gave me much more knowledge . Thank you !!

snunney (130967) 2006-10-02 7:59

Very nice image Sabaysachi. Good composition with a nice juxtaposition between the three horses and the buidlings in the background.

I haven't been to Calcutta but I have been to Delhi and Jaipur and Agra, and I have to say I found them all truly magical. India is certainly a country of contrasts and the people very friendly indeed. I would recommend that anyone should go and visit and see for themselves.

zeca (19762) 2006-10-03 2:19

Thatґs nice, Sabyashashi! Excellent POV, great colours and a nice note!
Regards from Brazil!
Zeca

anjan (1086) 2006-10-07 16:25

I had missed this one earlier, fllowed the link and wasnt disappointed. I wonder how u manged 2 get the three horses in such perfect triangle. Really unknown face of Kolkata u present here.
Anjan

Angshu (56760) 2006-10-17 3:39

Hi Sabyasachi
Great to see this one, which I saw on the LCD. Not often do we see photographs of this lovely side of our city. Love the trio of horses against the highrises. Well seen & superbly captured
Regards
Angshu

pierrefonds (114584) 2006-11-04 13:45

Hi Sabyasachi,

A good POV of the horsed, of the trees and of the high-rise buildings under a blue sky, the photo is sharp and clear. It has a good composition, DOF and nice colors. Your note is very informative. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

VeeJayCee (2410) 2006-11-16 16:36 [Comment]

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kalparupa (0) 2006-12-01 10:07

A very well conceptualised photo. But i feel that if you had moved the frame slightly more to the right and taken in the tall building visible on the right side, it would have given a more balanced look.

Photo Information

Copyright: Sabyasachi Talukdar (sabyasachi1212) (19779)
Genre: МЕСТА
Medium: ЦВЕТНОЙ
Date Taken: 2006-09-19
Categories: ПРИРОДА, АРХИТЕКТУРА
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 секунд
More Photo Info: view
Версия: Оригинальная версия
Темы: World for two, Kolkata Maidan-Activities and Surroundings [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-09-19 11:38
Избранное: 1 [view]